Lagos marathon: Bouncers maltreat journalists

The journalists accredited to cover the second Access Bank Lagos City were yesterday maltreated by the bouncers engaged by the race organisers, preventing them from carrying out their duties.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the journalists were poorly treated by the bouncers at the VIP arena.

The journalists were accredited to have access to the VIP area, Work Station, Mixed Zone and Press Conference Rooms but the macho men prevented them from accessing the VIP.

In terms of disseminating information to the media, it was poorly handled by the organisers who did not provide a mixed zone.

A Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) journalist had his camera smashed by the macho men and a reporter from the Punch Newspaper was also manhandled.

The journalists also complained about the accreditation tag which did not have a lot of areas filled in their accreditation forms.

The 42km race started at the National Stadium and ended at the Eko Atlantic City.

Thousands of empty pet bottles and other waste generated by participants at the starting point of the Marathon have been cleared by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that no sooner than the race began at the National Stadium, Surulere, the LAWMA workers immediately started cleaning the waste generated by the participants.

The waste generated includes biscuit and other foods wrappers deposited at the race’s starting point at the National Stadium.

One of the LAWMA workers, who spoke to NAN, said that they had to clean the area on time to move on to other places on the route used for race.

One of them, who identified herself as Bilikisu, told NAN that they were directed to clear the route in order to keep the city clean.

“Imagine if we are not here to work, what will the whole place look like?

“Some of our colleagues are also stationed in other parts to do the same thing,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, Kelechi Obi, a spectator, praised LAWMA for swiftly cleaning up the stadium and the route.

He said the whole place would have been in mess if not for the speed with which the workers attended to the waste.

“Kudos to LAWMA, they we’re able to clear all the refuse within a short period, kudos to them,’’ he said.

NAN also reports that no fewer than 64 foreign and 102 local elite athletes participated in the race that registered 55,000 runners from 27 countries.